


Come Together Right Now (Over Me)

by sunshineflying



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-04
Updated: 2015-02-04
Packaged: 2018-03-10 12:46:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3290846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshineflying/pseuds/sunshineflying
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall and Harry are just exploring their new relationship when Valentine's Day rolls around. Busy with the start of the On The Road Again Tour, they've got to be especially careful about how they make plans to spend the day together. Thanks to some help from their band mates, they're able to pull it off.</p><p>Or, Niall and Harry sneak away for a romantic holiday in Australia, hidden from the fans, all thanks to a few little while lies from their band mates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Come Together Right Now (Over Me)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [writelikethissss](https://archiveofourown.org/users/writelikethissss/gifts).



> Happy Valentine's Day!  
> The fic is posted a bit early but this is for the Niall and Harry Valentine's Day Fic Exchange on Tumblr. Welcome to my first attempt at writing a non-AU One Direction fic in a very long time. Please excuse any inaccuracies in the way of fame and how their lives must be!
> 
> Title is from the Beatles' song "Come Together," a song I listened to far too much during the writing process, even though I hardly ever listen to the Beatles.
> 
> I'd also like to thank [Kaylee](http://leprechauncupcakes.tumblr.com/) for her bravery in taking on my whopping 11k word fic, and so quickly! Your feedback was incredibly helpful, love! xx

“We can’t thank you guys enough.”

Niall’s walking through the back halls of Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, buzzing off of their latest concert in their tour. He still doesn’t believe that they’re as lucky as they are, sometimes… another successful world tour is absolutely insane.

Harry’s flushed as he bounds down the hallway at Niall’s side. He’s excited for a couple of days off before they’re supposed to be in Melbourne; he gets to have some alone time with Niall again _finally_. The tour’s just started but already Harry misses their tucked-away nights where they could just be themselves. They hadn’t gotten moments like those since they got together three months ago.

Zayn nods and says, “No problem.”

Louis is too high off of adrenaline to answer, and Liam is grinning at his side as they walk into the dressing room.

Harry’s sure they’re the absolute best mates ever, helping them sneak away for a few days.

They’re a flurry of limbs and chatter as they change into some comfortable traveling clothes. Niall worked it all out ahead of time with some help from Zayn – a literal travel genius. Zayn’s got it all solved – who travels where and with whom – so the fans don’t find out that Niall and Harry are going somewhere together.

Harry goes with Liam, the two of them leaving through the back exit first. As soon as the door opens there’s a huge burst of screaming from the fans outside the door and Louis mutters something about having a headache. It’s daily life, now, so Niall decides to take a few pain pills preemptively.

Niall finds a bottle of paracetamol and gives a couple pills to Louis, who swallows them down gratefully, before he takes a few for himself. Now that they’re settling down, Niall flops onto the sofa. It’s a waiting game, wondering when Harry and Liam will be far enough away so the rest of them can leave, too. They can’t be seen even so much as driving in the same direction – the fans are scary obsessive about where they’re all going.

“So, what is it you two are going to do exactly?” Zayn wonders as he sips from a bottle of water.

Louis has a can of Red Bull in hand as he laughs raucously. “Come on, Zayn. Like any of us need to ask?” He shakes his head and continues to mutter sarcastically to himself, “Valentine’s day all alone in a beach house… I _wonder_ …”

“Well, there’s a big deck so I’m going to do some grilling, and we can just hang out, y’know?” Niall says, smiling fondly just at the thought of what it’ll be like. All they have to do is get there quietly and it’ll all be smooth sailing after that. “Two days without any interruptions… that’ll be nice.”

“Assuming the fans don’t hunt you down,” Louis counters. “Have you given any thought to what you’ll do or say if the fans figure this out?”

Niall shrugs, but now doubts are planted in his mind. “Lay off him,” Zayn speaks up. “The fans won’t do that.”

“They stole Liam’s _underwear_. Nothing is beneath them,” Louis argues.

“It’ll be fine,” Niall states firmly, though Zayn briefly wonders who he’s trying to convince – himself, or them. He hopes it doesn’t come to that – excuses and lies – though he’s sure Harry will have thought of something already. Harry’s awfully prepared that way.

There’s a knock at the door that tells them it’s safe to leave, and they brace themselves for the screaming hordes of fans outside the door.

Several photos and autographs later, Niall, Zayn, and Louis are all tucked into a car heading the opposite direction as Liam and Harry went. They’re headed towards the airport. Zayn and Louis are heading to Melbourne, their next stop, whereas Harry and Niall will be hanging around Brisbane for a few days longer. Liam’s got plans to meet Sophia in Brisbane and go yachting, so they’re all scattered about for a few days.

Once at the airport, Niall wanders in past more crowds, a few girls recognizing them. He pauses for some photos when Louis and Zayn do, and they walk towards a private lounge area to hang out until the jet is ready to board Zayn and Louis. That’s when a staff member leads Niall through another door, along back corridors of the airport, and through a nondescript door. There’s a van pulled literally as close to it as possible, and Niall jumps in before anyone can see.

It seems insane to him, having to sneak around so much, but it’s what things have come to. Louis has a selfie saved on his phone to tweet while Niall’s hidden away, lying about Niall’s whereabouts, and they’ve already gotten Sophia to tweet that she can’t wait to see Harry for dinner the following evening.

All evidence points to Niall and Harry in two different places than where they’ll actually be – and everything is going according to plan.

Niall’s shocked when it all works out, if he’s honest. He’s been buzzing since the concert ended, mind wandering to all the things that he and Harry can do alone together. They’ve rented a house on a beach, overlooking the ocean, and they’ll be alone for two full days. It’s nearly one in the morning when he arrives to the house. Harry’s just been let inside if the bags in the illuminated doorway are any indication. The owner greets Niall with a charming smile and he takes it as a friendly invitation to wander in.

He doesn’t even get a chance to take in all the modern red, white, and black décor before Harry’s rushing towards him, beaming like a madman as he says “we did it!”

It’s amazing how much a person can thrive off of privacy. A few stolen moments aren’t always enough. Niall and Harry have learned that the hard way in the short time they’ve been together. Even through a few brief months of dating, they’re finding that it’s far more difficult than they anticipated. Millions of people have their eyes on them at all times and when they’re not allowed to be out – nor do they want that added drama at this point in their lives – it’s hard. It’s stressful.

It’s moments like these where Harry’s rushing towards him for a big hug and a tender kiss that Niall realizes all that pain and stress is _so_ worth it.

Niall wraps his arms around Harry’s waist, catching his impact perfectly as their bodies meet from head to toe. Their lips brush, but they’re smiling more than kissing. Niall loves it – it’s his favorite kind of kiss.

Harry’s taller by just a little bit, but Niall doesn’t mind. He tosses his arms haphazardly around Harry’s neck as Harry leans in to kiss him. Niall’s back arches and they almost fall over right there as the driver brings in Niall’s bags.

The bags sit forgotten by the door next to Harry’s as the driver leaves and the door clicks behind him. Niall reaches back him and fumbles for the lock. Neither of them are tired – they’re not fully over the buzz of performing, and rarely are, at least for another hour or two. “You should see the bedroom,” Harry grins, his lips grazing Niall’s as he speaks but doesn’t stop kissing.

“You’ve looked already?” Niall wonders, now unsure about how long Harry’s been there.

He pulls away from the kiss to look up at Harry, whose eyes are dancing with so much joy and mirth that Niall can hardly believe that any of this is real. “Nah, I just thought it was a good chat up line,” Harry smiles.

Niall rolls his eyes because _how is Harry that cute_? He pulls Harry down into another kiss and then steps away unexpectedly. If Harry wants to be all coy and flirty, well then, two can play at that game. Niall gives Harry a playful wink before he darts up the stairs two at a time – no longer a painful feat after his most recent knee surgery – and leaps onto the bed before Harry can wipe the stupid look off his face.

When Niall rolls over on the huge bed to look back at the doorway for Harry, he lets out a sigh of happiness. They _never_ get to be this carefree. He almost doesn’t know what to do with himself.

Harry rushes into the room a second later, his curly hair an unruly mess already, even just after a bit of kissing. Niall briefly wonders how messy he can make until his thoughts are interrupted as Harry leaps onto the bed and lands right next to him. They’re out of breath and take a moment to calm before Niall looks over at Harry and smiles. Harry’s lying on his stomach with his arms bent, hands underneath his chin. “Hi,” Harry smiles when he notices Niall’s eyes on him.

Harry watches the blonde next to him as he lays on his back, smiling just as joyfully. His blue eyes are dancing with happiness and for a brief second it feels like nothing in the world matters except for them. “Hey,” Niall replies.

Silence again. They don’t need words. Sometimes in their world full of noise and music, silence becomes more precious than anything else. Being alone together has left them speechless; they have a million things they want to do and say but in that moment, the silence and peace reminds them that they did it. They made it through throngs of fans and past the paps and into their own little corner of the world where they can just _be_.

Finally, one of them moves, but it’s not to open their mouth to speak. No, instead Harry just props himself up on his elbows and scoots towards Niall. He leans to his left, his chin nearly brushing Niall’s left shoulder, and he leans in for a soft, gentle kiss. Niall presses into it, turning onto his side so he’s closer to Harry.

Suddenly the excitement has left the room and now they’re calm, serene. They’re kissing slowly and it’s more perfect than Niall ever thought a kiss could be.

Harry’s ace when it comes to kissing, which he learned a few months back before they even made things official, but he always finds himself surprised by the fact, again and again. Harry’s sweet and tender, and his lips turn the most beautiful shade of red _so_ quickly. His lips settle just above Niall’s, just the way Harry likes it, and Niall sucks gently on his lower lip for a moment before he pulls away for air.

Harry’s kisses always leave Niall breathless and it’s indescribably sexy the way Harry’s so flushed and coy over such an innocent thing. Their lips reconnect after the briefest of breaks, and Harry scoots a little closer. Harry puts his full weight on his right arm and lets his left hand rest on Niall’s chest. Niall easily slides his hand up to tangle into Harry’s curls and each kiss, every brush of their lips, feels like it’s taking forever yet passing in the blink of an eye. It’s as though their kisses simultaneously stop time yet make it reel forwards, out of control, and all they can do is hold onto each other to anchor themselves together in their little beachfront cabin.

They’re both breathless when their lips part again, and Harry’s lips are so red and swollen that Niall can’t stop staring. In fact, he stares so intently that he completely misses what Harry says at first. When Harry yawns, he’s pulled out of it and he asks, “What?”

“I said I’m sleepy,” Harry pouts, a sheepish look on his face.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Niall promises, sliding his hand over Harry’s hair to smooth it out a little. “We have two whole days here, remember? We have time to do everything we want, yeah?”

Harry nods, another yawn fighting its way out. He suddenly looks like he did when they first met, so young and shy. They shuck their clothes without bothering to find pajamas, and after Niall pulls the blankets back on the bed they climb in, Harry completely naked and Niall in his red plaid boxers, just the way they like it. They curl towards each other in the center of the bed as Niall brings the blankets up over their bodies, and they’re working in tandem without a second thought.

The night before Niall hadn’t noticed much about the bedroom but the following morning it was painfully obvious that most of the walls in the master bedroom were vast, expansive windows. There are curtains pulled aside, letting them choose how private or open to make the room. Thankfully, there’s nothing outside the window but beach, trees, and ocean – privacy without blocking out the elements. It’s something Harry and Niall don’t often get, and a large reason why they chose this particular cabin. Sunlight streamed through and blasted them with heat and light until he couldn’t fight it anymore – he was awake. Glancing at the clock only told him it was far too early, and he curled in towards Harry to avoid the sunlight.

Unfortunately, rolling himself towards Harry to hide his face in his shoulder and keep out the sun means the sun is now in _Harry’s_ face, which wakes him in turn. “Fuck,” Harry mutters, bringing his hand up to shield his eyes.

“Sorry,” Niall mumbles.

They’re both groggy, voices deeper than usual from sleep, and they both try to keep the sunlight from blinding them by using the other as a blocker. It turns into a battle of limbs until finally Niall brings the blanket up over their heads, burying them underneath so they’re thrown into darkness. Harry giggles and Niall catches his gaze in the near pitch black underneath the duvet cover.

Harry thinks that if they could spend every morning that way, he’d be happier than he ever thought possible.

Niall curls up on his side facing Harry and reaches out for his hand. Harry laces their fingers together with practiced ease and looks up at Niall in the darkness.

They become distracted with each other and the blanket falls. Their eyes adjust to the light as they smile across the bed at each other until Niall leans over for a kiss. Harry returns it, morning breath be damned, because this is _Niall_ and they’re alone together in Australia and nothing could ever ruin the moment.

Niall’s heart is threatening to burst from his chest and he’s sure this is what love feels like but he knows he can’t say it out loud – not yet. Three months isn’t enough, but is it? They’ve known each other for years. He’s so sure, but at the same time he’s afraid. He doesn’t want the world to crumble, for this to be just a honeymoon phase. Harry’s so sweet and genuine but there’s always going to be that fear that something as good as this is going to leave before Niall’s ready. It’s how Niall feels about the fame, and he can’t control that it’s seeped its way into his love life.

Harry doesn’t seem to mind, even if he feels the same way, because in his mind they have forever. They have a literal forever together if it’s what they want. If the love is real there’s no way they’ll lose each other in the tangle of stardom and world tours. The words will come in time, if they only have some patience.

He’s lying back on the bed with Niall resting on an elbow to his side, half over top of him, their legs entwined together lazily. Harry’s got his fingers running through Niall’s hair and Niall has a hand resting on Harry’s exposed hip where the bone juts out and his perfect v-line forms.

While they’re perfectly comfortable kissing and touching, they’ve never gone any further than that. Contrary to what Louis might think, Niall and Harry haven’t just jumped into bed with each other and called it a relationship. They’ve been working hard at this thing, and they want it to all be by the book. Just because they’re world-famous pop stars doesn’t mean they can’t have a normal love life, right? And maybe they’ll never admit it but they feel like they can’t have normal unless they have it together – it’s not like anyone else understands what their crazy, chaotic world is like.

But now Niall feels that need, that desire to be far closer to Harry than he has ever been before. He isn’t quite sure if that was implied with the whole “let’s rent a private cabin for Valentine’s day” thing, but the way Harry’s touching him sure points to yes. Harry’s hands are sliding down Niall’s muscular back, over the round of his backside and one large hand pulls Niall closer as his kisses grow needier.

They’re breathless in seconds and Harry’s cock is pressing against Niall’s hip as their lips drag against the other’s, no rhyme or reason to what they’re doing – just passion. Niall’s kisses pull the soft hum of a moan out of Harry’s bruised mouth and they roll, Niall on Harry, kiss broken so they can catch their breath.

Even in nothing but boxers, Niall suddenly feels horribly overdressed in comparison to Harry, but thankfully Harry’s read his mind. Clumsy hands reach under the blankets as Niall holds himself up, doing his best to shift his body this way or that to help Harry kick off his boxers so he can finally be naked, too.

He’s hard and a little sweaty and maybe he’s never felt like he’s particularly stellar at sex, but Harry’s looking at him like the entire situation couldn’t possibly be more heavenly so he must be doing something right.

Niall lets himself relax, their bodies lying one on top of the other on the bed. Harry’s legs are parted and their cocks are hard and touching just barely where Niall’s settling in comfortably, Harry’s lanky legs wrapping around Niall’s narrow hips. A strangled groan falls from Niall’s plump lips as he feels how incredibly hard Harry is against him, and he knows Harry can feel him, too.

They’re both nervous, though they don’t know why, because this shouldn’t be a big deal. But it is, because it’s their first time. Not _ever_ , stardom fixed that a while back, but with each other it’s all new. Niall doesn’t know which places make Harry moan the loudest or what angle makes him come really fast, but he’s going to learn. He _wants_ to learn. And Harry wants to memorize every freckle and every expression and each and every second of this because this feels different. This first time feels like the first of many, the first of something momentous.

Niall’s not sure how long they’ve been lying there kissing, but he’s rolling his hips down and Harry’s doing the same and maybe it’s not going to be their first time – not really – because before either of them can wonder who packed the lube or who wants to top first, they’re coming together. It’s warm and sticky and a little bit uncomfortable after a few moments, but it’s still perfect.

Harry’s smiling and he laughs just a little as Niall flops to the side awkwardly, trying to keep the blankets from getting messy. He’s moving in vain because their stomachs are both covered in come and they’re sticky and the blanket is _right there_ so they might as well.

“This means we can try a new room tonight,” Harry smiles as he wipes himself off. “One where the sun won’t blind us to death so early in the day.”

Niall likes the sound of that, so he nods and wipes himself off as well, and they slowly climb out of bed, only to meet at the foot of the bed to kiss again.

He likes that Harry’s taller, that he can make him feel so delicate yet so dominant at the same time. Harry’s hands frame Niall’s face and he’s smiling as he kisses him, and Niall can’t help but smile back because this damn romantic twat just made him come like he was twelve again, and it was _perfect_.

They’re both still a little sticky and there’s a waterfall shower in the en suite that Niall’s wanted to check out since they rented the place, so he takes Harry’s hand and leads him in.

Harry can’t keep his hands to himself – he’s touching and kissing and just plain distracting Niall while he’s is trying to get the water just right. Finally he does it and they step inside, and he’s not surprised at all when Harry pulls him into another kiss right there under the spray of the shower.

It should be annoying, the way Harry’s hair is wet and so _long_ and it’s kind of in the way, but Niall likes it. He thinks Harry looks good with his long hair, even if sometimes in the right light, it makes him look soft and feminine. Maybe that’s part of the appeal. Harry’s muscles certainly don’t give off the same air, and Niall likes that their bodies fit well together, muscles or no.

Harry likes to kiss with his hands framing Niall’s face. He likes to caress Niall’s cheek with his thumb or let his hand slide through Niall’s smooth hair. It’s all stuff Niall’s never really liked with anyone else, but with Harry it’s all just perfect. It leaves him feeling special and wanted, but at the same time Harry can make something so tender seem impossibly sexy, and he doesn’t quite understand it but he doesn’t feel the need to question it.

Niall’s hands grip Harry’s hips and he almost wonders if that’s where it’s going to happen. Will their first time be in the shower?

Granted, it’s the most luxurious shower Niall’s ever had, with the overhead water falling at just the right pressure, steam surrounding them in the large, glass-encased shower. It wouldn’t be the worst place, but they don’t have the best track record with coordination so it might be a little dangerous.

Instead, Harry’s down on his knees and Niall can’t stop staring because he can’t believe it took him this long to realize that Harry looks fucking amazing in this position. It’s not just the way Harry manages to look incredibly innocent, his wide eyes gazing up at Niall as if asking him _Can I?_ , but it’s the way he looks when he’s leaning forward, too. His arse sticks out just right, all flawless and smooth, and his lips – his _fucking_ lips – Niall almost loses his balance when he watches Harry put his lips around the tip of his cock.

Harry must notice because he scoots forward a bit, sending Niall’s cock further into his mouth until one big, warm hand rests on Niall’s abdomen to push him back. Once Niall’s leaning against the wall of the shower Harry focuses his attention where he knows Niall wants it most.

He holds Niall’s hips and bobs his head, looking up through long lashes at his boyfriend. Niall’s watching, pupils blown wide as he reaches down to push Harry’s hair out of his face. His hair is long and sopping wet but when it’s pulled back he can see Harry’s face and his lips again it’s not _fair_ because Niall knows it usually takes more than a minute or two for him to come.

But this is Harry and it’s all so new and Harry doesn’t seem surprised in the least when Niall catches him by surprise, come on his lips and a few drops sliding down his chin as he swallows the rest. When Harry stands, Niall looks sheepish, but Harry leans in for a kiss anyway. Niall feels like maybe a part of him should be grossed out, tasting his own come and kissing it off of Harry’s lips, but it’s not gross at all. In fact, he actually really likes it.

Harry’s still hard and pressing against his hip as they kiss, but Niall’s legs feel like jelly. He reaches down, hoping it’s enough even though he’d _love_ to get down and suck Harry off. But Niall, running off of four hours of sleep and two orgasms, doesn’t have it in him to get down and kneel, especially on stone tiles. Harry doesn’t seem to mind as Niall’s warm, guitar-calloused hand works him steadily between them.

Niall kisses Harry, but his focus is drawn down to his hand stroking Harry, and he wants to watch. The problem is, he wants to see Harry’s face when he lets go, too. Harry’s moaning in his ear and whispering encouragement and Niall swears he can feel the orgasm in Harry’s body before he sees it happen between them. Every muscle in Harry’s body tenses and words fail him as he bites down, right in that juncture where Niall’s neck meets his shoulder. It pulls a moan out of Niall, especially coupled with the sight of Harry’s come splashing between them, all over his hand and their stomachs.

Now Harry looks as weak and tired as Niall feels, so it doesn’t take long for them to finish up in the shower. They climb out and dry each other off – or so they say. It’s an excuse to touch each other more than anything else.

It doesn’t occur to them once to worry, to wonder if their plan is still in place, if the fans have bought the lies their band-mates and friends are telling for their sake. In Niall and Harry’s world, nothing exists but their little capsule of privacy inside the cabin on the beach in Brisbane. And why should it? Even pop-stars deserve semi-normal Valentine’s Day holidays.

They venture down to the kitchen where they share the duties of a proper fry-up while sipping coffee – tea just isn’t strong enough when they’re as tired as they are – and it’s perfect. Niall works at the counter while Harry’s prodding things on the stovetop, and they cook as though they’ve always done it together. They’re so in sync with each other it should be scary, moving around each other with practiced ease, but neither even realizes because it just feels so comfortable.

After they eat, Niall’s feeling even sleepier, because that’s just what happens when he’s got a full stomach. Thankfully, Harry’s feeling a bit tired as well so they seek out another bedroom. The cabin’s got three, so they settle upon one with a larger bed, a television and far fewer windows. Niall thinks he likes this one best.

They climb into bed as easily as they did the night before. It might be the years of traveling together or it might be something different, but they’re totally in tune with each other. They move around and with each other as though they’ve always been in the same orbit, moving with practiced ease. The shades aren’t drawn but the sun’s on the opposite side of the house so Niall rolls to his left and drapes his arm around Harry’s waist.

Harry’s on his left side too, his back to Niall’s front, and he likes it that way. He likes feeling Niall’s heartbeat down his spine and the big strong arm wrapped around his slender waist. They fit in so many different positions and places that it’s hard to believe he went years without Niall sleeping right there behind him.

He drifts off to sleep with thoughts of what it would have been like to have Niall all those years – timid kisses when they first met, awkward kisses once he’s gotten his braces and doesn’t know how to kiss with them yet, celebratory making out after the braces are gone – there’s a lot they didn’t have, but their relationship is basically perfect to him anyway.

Niall needed the time, anyway. He didn’t exactly grow up believing he could date or shag anyone he wanted. It was always _girls, girls, girls_ and he’d never had an inclination otherwise. But then he’d met Harry in the bunks on the X Factor and he started to see the way Harry and Louis were with each other, and he wondered if maybe he hadn’t been missing out. But again – he wasn’t inclined towards men—except Harry, of course. He’d always been keen on Harry even before he understood why.

When Niall wakes up the sun is fully situated in the sky, a few beams of light falling on the bed by their feet, warming them. He feels well rested now, like he could take on the world. Touring really takes it out of him and he’s not surprised that he and Harry have just slept the day away. It’s funny how getting to have a lie-in becomes such a special treat now that he’s always traveling or recording or something else with the band.

Some might feel like they’ve wasted precious time, sleeping most of the day when they’ve only got a short time with their significant other before there’s no privacy for the foreseeable future, but Niall doesn’t feel that way. Even just sleeping next to Harry like he did – it’s a treat and it was perfect. He hasn’t slept so well in ages.

Harry feels Niall rustling in bed behind him and rolls to his back to smile up at him. “Hey, love,” he mumbles in his low, sleep-addled voice.

 _Love_. The term of endearment has never quite made Niall feel so giddy before, mostly because he’s never heard it from Harry before. It makes his cheeks tint pink and he feels like a sodding teenager again. He wants to chide Harry for making him feel that way but he’s too elated to care. In fact, he likes it. He responds to Harry with a gentle kiss, and that time he breaks away to say, “Yeah, alright, toothbrushes for both of us.”

Harry laughs and follows Niall out of bed and into the foyer to find their bags, still forgotten by the door. “What d’you want to do today?” Niall asks as he takes both of their bags to the room they’d just slept in.

Without anything to carry, Harry’s clingy. He awkwardly holds Niall’s waist from behind and tries to follow him without getting his toes run over by suitcase wheels. “It’s already nearly five. We’ve slept all day,” he pouts. “What is there to do?”

“I could order in some groceries, make a proper dinner for us,” Niall suggests, abandoning their bags just inside the bedroom door so he can turn and face Harry. He smiles as he adds, “And since when do we have a bed time? For all I care, it’s nine in the morning and we’ve got hours of fun ahead.”

Harry waggles his eyebrows at the word ‘fun’ and Niall blushes again. He swats Harry’s chest and starts digging in his bag. He wants to ignore the way Harry is staring at his arse but he likes the attention, truth be told. Deciding to be a bit cheeky, he shakes his bum a little before he stands up with his toothbrush and paste and wanders into the bathroom.

They’re both still naked which Harry enjoys immensely, and in seconds he’s by Niall’s side at the sink. All they’re doing is brushing their teeth but they still manage to make it flirty. Harry smirks at Niall, who’s making silly faces at Harry, all through the mirror. There’s toothpaste foam on their lips and it’s turning into a game to see who’s going to spit and rinse first.

Niall bursts out laughing, sending foam flying to the mirror, and Harry looks triumphant that he’s won. Plus, he likes watching Niall bend over to spit the rest out and rinse the toothpaste from his lips. Harry spits and rinses next and then stops Niall before he can leave the bathroom. “Now can I kiss you?” he pouts.

Smiling up at Harry, Niall smiles and pulls him into a kiss.

He’s so far gone for Harry that it should be terrifying, but Harry is so warm and comforting that there’s never going to be a reason to be scared with him. Harry is gentle and kind and he’s been Niall’s rock the past few months. Granted, he’s sort of been that for Niall ever since they went big after the X Factor, but now that Harry can calm him with kisses and cuddles instead of just words, he’s become a permanent fixture in Niall’s life. He’s more permanent than the other lads because in a way, Harry is his home. He’s the one constant Niall always has on tour, and that’s something he’s not going to give up without a fight.

Sure, Niall has no idea that Harry feels the same, even as Harry’s kissing him so deeply and passionately against the wall of the bathroom, but he sort of feels it. It resonates through every kiss and every touch. Harry shows his affection physically, even though he’s quite good with words, because the physical comes with something special, something words could never do. The physical touches leave echoes in Niall’s skin, memories later that bring forth a whole mass of emotions that remind him of their moments like these, in privacy. It’s amazing how Harry can make Niall feel the kisses and touches hours later, and Niall loves him for it.

They get dressed in shorts and tee shirts and Harry lets Niall call in some groceries from the local store for delivery. While they wait, they lounge around on the sofa with Niall curled up in Harry’s arms. Niall’s comfortable, wedged into the space between Harry’s arm and torso. Harry is warm and cozy, and Niall likes being able to just look up and steal some more kisses. He can never get enough of Harry’s kisses or the way they make his head spin. They’ve been kissing so much Harry’s lips seem permanently plump and red. Niall wants to stare but he has to try not to, especially when the doorbell rings and the food arrives.

As if on cue, their stomachs start to growl.

They go back to the kitchen, working in perfect harmony as Niall puts a good rub on the steaks and Harry prepares some foods to eat on the side. There’s a watermelon and a few other fruits that Harry wants to put into a salad, but Niall keeps stealing kisses so his work is actually taking a bit longer.

While the meat marinates they cut melons and fruits together, bumping hips and arms and sometimes they stop focusing because they’d rather feed fruit to each other anyway. Now Harry’s lips taste like pomegranate and Niall’s taste like mango and the flavors mix together as Niall pushes Harry against the countertop. Harry’s laughing into the kiss again and Niall can’t help but do the same because this _always_ happens but he loves it a lot.

In fact, Niall’s pretty sure if all he could do for the rest of his life was kiss Harry, he’d be happy. Fame was great, but a whole new world had opened up once he and Harry got together.

It takes them over an hour to finish the fruit before they carry bowls of it out to the private deck. They’re balancing bowls and beers and plates and the steaks that need to go on the grill, but they make it. The deck of the house is surrounded by trees on either side, and it looks out on a beach and the ocean. The beach must be private as well, reserved for the home owners or renters, because there’s nobody out there. That’s a good thing, too – Niall probably wouldn’t have been happy to see a horde of screaming fans out there.

Harry pulls off his shirt and lounges around in a chair in nothing but some denim shorts rolled about mid-thigh, a pair of Ray Bans, and a ridiculous hat. Niall thinks he looks adorable though, and he tells Harry as much. Harry preens at the compliment and pats Niall’s bum, urging him to go put the steaks on because he’s getting hungry.

They watch the sunset as they eat, Niall’s cooking and Harry’s cubing of the fruit turning out to be one of the best meals they’ve had in ages. Eating on the road is always either really disappointing or so expensive that they sort of convince themselves it’s good even when it’s not. But this – a home-cooked meal – that’s not something they get often so they’ve learned to appreciate it more.

Full of food and sated from such a delicious meal, they retreat over to the hanging bench at the other corner of the deck. It’s in a rather private, romantic corner, and a quick glance around says it’s the part of the deck that’s adjacent to the master suite that they made a mess of earlier. Too full to do anything but cuddle, Niall holds Harry as they watch the sunset. Harry likes playing with Niall’s hands, holding them and gliding his fingers between Niall’s, and sometimes he even traces the lines on his palm and touches each freckle like he’s memorizing him. It’s calming, just sitting there in silence watching the sun set over Brisbane. They’re surrounded by noise so often that the silence is more precious than ever.

Every so often Niall plants a kiss atop Harry’s head, glad that the hat was abandoned at the table when the sun was no longer glaring down at them from the sky. Harry’s hair is messy but it’s still soft, and Niall can’t fight the smile spreading across his face. He used to smile a lot, but he feels like he smiles even more now that he has Harry.

“I love you.”

Of all the words to break the silence, Niall’s not expecting those. He wonders briefly if he’s imagining things, but Harry turns to face him as though wondering what Niall’s answer will be.

In the peace and quiet of Brisbane at dusk, Harry’s words are echoing in his ears, mixing with his heartbeat. For a brief moment, Niall is speechless. Harry’s looking at him a bit nervously, like maybe he blurted it out without actually meaning to, and Niall wants to answer so badly but he’s so surprised he’s hearing the words that he’s not sure what to do.

The obvious answer is to say it back, and he wants to _so badly_ but words are failing him. Harry’s sitting up now, watching Niall as he worries his lower lip between his teeth. But even though Harry’s body language says he’s nervous, his eyes say he means it. His eyes say he knows that Niall feels the same, too. Niall has to kiss Harry – he thinks it’ll maybe make his voice work again – and after a long tender kiss he pulls away and manages to speak.

“I love you too.”

He blurts it out a little fast and maybe the words all wove together more like a song than a statement, but Harry’s expression brightens anyway and all the tension and worry is gone.

Niall knew he wouldn’t be able to hold back. He was sure that he’d burst and say it before Harry, actually. But now that the words are out there, it’s like this huge weight off of his shoulders that he hadn’t even known that he was carrying.

Harry kisses Niall again, hands framing his face like he loves to do, and Niall let a hand drop to Harry’s hip as they sat on the bench facing each other, kissing gently. So badly Harry wants to speed things up, but something about the tenderness is more fitting for the moment. They have another day to go speedy and rough – for now he just wants to enjoy Niall like he is.

A chill settles over the deck now that the sun has set, and Niall takes Harry’s hand to lead him inside. They leave the dishes abandoned on the deck; they can wait until morning because there are more important things they could be doing.

There’s a nervous buzz in the air as they walk into the room they’d slept in earlier and Niall makes a beeline for his suitcase. Harry does the same without really thinking about it, and they both stand up to face each other with lube and condoms in hand. Niall laughs because _of course_ they’d both come prepared, and Harry just shakes his head as he sets them down on the bed and walks over to Niall.

It almost feels surreal, that Harry’s kissing Niall and Niall’s kissing back, and they love each other and they’re going to have sex. Niall’s head is absolutely buzzing with all the thoughts stirring around, and it isn’t until Harry’s leading Niall to the bed that he starts to focus.

Niall wants to repay Harry for yesterday – or that morning, rather – for the blow job in the shower. But Harry’s already pushing Niall gently onto the bed and Niall figures that’ll have to wait for another time. He’s needy, pulling at Harry’s shoulders and desperate to have him on the bed with him. Niall’s legs part and his heart is racing and Harry had never really thought about who would top on their first time but he thinks it’s going to be him.

Niall doesn’t mind, because he’s pretty sure they’ll switch whenever they want, but something about their first time being this totally new experience for him just seems so perfect. It’ll be the first time he ever has sex with a guy and he wants it to be Harry and he knows it’s going to be Harry and there’s a security in that which calms Niall and brings a smile to his face.

Harry climbs onto the bed with Niall and kneels between his legs. Their heads bump gently and they laugh, but it releases the nervous tension they hadn’t realized they were holding inside of themselves and it slows everything down just a bit. The only sound in the room is their breathing and that’s calming for Niall, too. Harry finds it exciting and sensual and he lets his hands wander as he leans back, away from Niall’s lips but further away where he can touch and memorize.

Between their hands exploring and their eyes wandering they manage to toss all their clothes onto the floor. They're naked again and Harry loves being naked but he loves it even more when Niall is naked too. He likes seeing the freckled skin, unmarred by tattoos, flushed in little splotches because Niall wants this as badly as he does.

Their eyes meet as Harry’s opening the cap of lube, and he pauses. Without words he asks Niall if this is how he wants it, and Niall just gives a small nod. Harry smiles. It’s so easy for them to talk, even without words. It might be due to all the fame, but Harry likes to think it’s because they’re meant for each other.

Before he pours out some lube, he gently puts a pillow under Niall’s hips and he parts his legs just a bit more. Niall looks nervous now, and Harry’s expression has grown more serious, but they both know this is what they want. To Niall, it feels like it takes forever for Harry to pour out some lube and reach out to touch him, but when he does the feeling was well worth the wait.

It’s clear he’s a bit sensitive, and the stretch will be uncomfortable, but Niall gasps and bites his lip because he actually really likes the feeling of Harry’s first finger slowly sliding in. Niall’s head is thrown back against pillows and he’s trying to keep his breathing steady as he lets Harry do what he needs to do.

Harry watches Niall and does his best to go slow. He wishes he could be inside of Niall right that minute but it’ll hurt if he does so they’ll just have to wait. Harry bites his lip to stifle a moan as he watches Niall writhe on the blankets as he presses deeper. He’s got a whole finger inside of Niall now, but he wants to make sure he feels good. “How is it?” Harry asks, his voice husky and low filled with lust and desire.

“G-good. Really good,” Niall says breathlessly.

That’s a sign to continue, Harry decides, and he slowly adds a second finger. This time Niall’s back arches and his brow furrows a bit and Harry knows the stretch is a lot. It amazes him, the way Niall doesn’t make a sound or complain at all, and he wants to make it good for him so badly.

It feels like time has slowed to a crawl as he twists and scissors his fingers, prepping Niall for what’s to come. It doesn’t take long for Niall to adjust, and before Harry knows it Niall is asking for more. He’s saying he’s ready, but Harry knows better.

Gently, Harry adds a third, and now Niall lets out a groan that’s been stuck inside this whole time. His breathing is heavier and he’s arching his back again, so Harry goes a little slower.

Niall has never done this and he’s trying not to tense up but every time Harry adds another finger Niall feels a flash of pain and he can’t help but hiss a little at the intrusion. He looks down and watches as Harry goes so gently; his hair is falling in his face and his cheeks are flushed as he takes in the sight of Niall’s naked body with wide eyes. Niall doesn’t feel embarrassed or exposed – he loves the attention as long as it’s coming from Harry.

When their eyes lock, Niall just nods and whispers, “Do it.”

Harry falters, but slowly pulls his fingers out and licks his lips before he reaches for a condom. His slick, lube-covered fingers fumble with the package and Niall smiles. He sits up to open it for Harry, and they both let out a nervous laugh. Harry kisses Niall, distracting him for a moment, and Niall’s laughter grows. It’s so easy being like this with Harry, even though it should be some big, momentous thing that makes Niall excited and a little afraid. With Harry, everything is different. It’s a big deal but it’s not anything scary – this is just Harry, after all. _His_ Harry.

Niall rolls the condom onto Harry’s hard cock, stroking him a few times and watching as his hand slides along Harry’s length. They’re about the same size, though Harry’s a bit thicker, and Niall wonders if he’ll even fit.

Gently, Harry presses him back onto the bed and Niall swallows hard. His arms drop to his stomach, fingers fumbling together, and Harry smiles because now it’s clear that Niall’s a little nervous. He leans in for another kiss, his cock sliding between Niall’s legs and Niall can feel it. Things should seem a lot more obscene than they do but to Niall it just feels natural. “It’s okay, just relax,” Harry whispers, and Niall nods.

He pulls his legs further up, giving Harry better access, and he closes his eyes. “Breathe, babe,” Harry mutters.

Niall breathes at Harry’s command; he’s been so distracted he hasn’t noticed he’s started holding his breath. Gently, Harry begins to push inside of Niall. Niall’s face contorts into discomfort but he doesn’t reach out to stop Harry – he lets him keep going as he takes in ragged, shallow breaths.

Niall is incredibly tight around Harry, and now Harry is the one who’s forgotten to breathe. He can’t believe they’re doing this, that Niall trusts him like this and that this is their first time together on a romantic holiday in _Australia_. Everything about the situation is unbelievable but so incredibly perfect.

Harry’s buried deep inside of Niall before he knows it, and when his eyes flutter open he’s looking down at Niall, who’s trying to keep up with it all. Niall’s flushed and his lips are plump and red from kisses and teeth, and he’s got his eyes closed. “Y’alright?” Harry whispers.

Niall nods, and slowly he opens his eyes to look up at Harry. Harry flashes him a smile and leans in to kiss him. The room is quiet except for their breathing and the soft sounds of their kisses. “How d’you feel?” Harry asks.

They shift on the bed; Niall pulls his legs wider apart and Harry shifts his weight onto his knees. “I feel…” Niall begins, but Harry’s movements draw a moan out of him, interrupting him. “Full. Really full.”

Slowly, Harry pulls out and then presses back in. Each movement is calculated and drawn out to make sure Niall isn’t hurt. The gasp from Niall’s mouth and wave of pleasure over his face tells Harry that he’s starting to feel much better. Harry’s hair is flopping down and tickling Niall’s cheeks as Harry watches him, and he smiles even though his eyes have drooped shut.

Harry moans softly as he leans down to kiss at Niall’s neck, and Niall’s hands grab Harry’s waist. He wants more – it feels good but Harry’s just too _slow_. “Faster… _fuck_ Harry,” he mutters, moaning as Harry thrusts at a perfect angle.

Harry doesn’t remember what exactly he did to draw such a sinful sound out of Niall but he’s determined to do it again. He leans away from Niall’s neck, smiling as he sees the red, angry skin where Niall will have a hickey later, and then thrusts again. He’s moving faster now, like Niall wants, and they’re both moaning.

The room is dark but they see each other perfectly in the moonlight. They’re both glistening with a sheen of sweat from the exertion; Harry can still see the slight redness in patches all across Niall’s skin, and he loves seeing him so flushed like this. Niall’s mouth has dropped open as he moans, still gripping Harry’s hips so he can meet his thrusts with his own.

It feels perfect and Harry’s head is spinning and he kind of wants to flop on top of Niall while he also wants to stand up and _really_ fuck into Niall, like he’s seen in a porno, but where they’re at feels okay. Niall likes it, and Harry’s already close just from how tight Niall is, so he leaves it be. Harry reminds himself they have forever to try new positions – he doesn’t want to complicate and possibly ruin their first time together.

Niall seems to be enjoying it quite a bit, and Harry’s moans mix with Niall’s as their bodies move together in a stilted but perfect rhythm. It’s not steady, but they don’t need steady. They need closer and faster and Harry wants to steal more kisses so he does.

It’s not long before Niall’s legs are wrapping around Harry’s waist and he’s moaning that he’s close, that he’s ready to come and Harry’s right there with him, whispering in his ear to just let go.

Niall’s moan comes out strangled and loud; he’s arching his back and he’s not even touching his own cock as he comes warm between them, breathing heavily with his eyes closed and his hair a mess on the pillows.

Harry moves his forehead to rest it against Niall’s, the moans and little whispers of Niall’s name falling upon Niall’s lips in a half-kiss as Harry comes too. Niall’s holding onto Harry, clutching him and petting the hair from his sticky forehead as he watches him with a fond smile on his face.

They’re both too tired to move and Harry’s reaching around for something while burying his face into the crook of Niall’s neck. He finds it finally – Niall’s hand – and weaves their fingers together as he lays there for a moment. He’s wondering if Niall’s sore, if maybe they should go take another shower, but Niall’s breathing is evening out and when Harry pulls back he smiles.

Niall is asleep.

Harry kisses him softly and reluctantly peels himself away. The blankets are strewn on the floor and the lube only left a few drops of wetness on the bed so he figures they’ll be okay to sleep there. Harry pulls out of Niall, who shifts a little and rolls onto his side, and Harry keeps smiling with fondness as he rolls off the condom and throws it away. He grabs a flannel and wipes up their stomachs. He cleans Niall up to make sure he won’t be uncomfortable in the morning and then, with a big yawn, Harry tosses it aside in favor of sleeping next to Niall.

He pulls the blankets up over them and lets himself fall asleep too, right there behind Niall with his arm draped around his waist.

The following day passes much the same way. Niall tries out topping for Harry and he loves it, and they learn that they can switch it up whenever they want.

Normally Harry’s excited for Valentine’s Day for some reason or another, but this year it’s a bittersweet day. On the one hand, he has someone he loves that he can spend it with, and he’s never been able to say that in the past. But on the other hand, he has to go back to reality. Niall’s car will be there in an hour and Harry’s just finishing up breakfast in bed for him when Niall surprises him with arms around his waist.

Harry pouts, “Why are you out of bed? I made you breakfast in bed!”

“’s not like I knew that, is it?” Niall asks, his voice heavy and thick with sleep. “D’you want me to crawl back into bed?”

“Yes please,” Harry replies with a smile.

Harry’s wearing nothing but some boxer briefs, and Niall isn’t wearing much more as he stands behind Harry, hugging him from behind, in nothing but his boxers. “Just one thing first, okay? Put it down and cover it with a bowl or something, to keep it warm,” Niall instructs.

Harry wants to argue but he’s incredibly curious so he does what Niall says. He puts the tray on the counter and covers the plate of pancakes and bacon with a bowl before he turns to Niall and asks, “Why did I do that now?”

He’s smirking and Niall leans in to kiss the smirk right off his face. “Because I wanna do something for you,” Niall whispers against his lips. “For Valentine’s Day, and because you did it for me, and because I love you…”

He trails off at that, letting those words settle over them. It’s still new, admitting that they love each other, but they mean every word.  Harry nods and holds Niall’s waist, and he waits for a moment to see if Niall’s going to do anything.

Slowly, right there in the kitchen, Niall lowers to his knees. “But… your knee, aren’t you…?” Harry mutters.

“I’m fine,” Niall insists.

He’s mouthing at the front of Harry’s briefs and letting his hands trail over his abs, his thighs, and the outline of his cock where he’s growing harder from the attention. Harry opens his mouth to protest but the word gets turned into a moan before he can even get out one syllable.

Niall wants to tease, but he’s also wanted this since they day they got to the cabin and Harry did it for him in the shower.

He slowly tugs at the waistband of Harry’s boxers and his cock springs free as Niall brings them to his knees. He’d bring them lower but he’s got a cock in his face and he wants it in his mouth so where the briefs end up isn’t really all that important.

As he glances up, Niall takes in the way Harry’s eyes are closed, his head tossed back and his neck exposed and begging for hickeys, to steal Niall’s attention. Niall wants to leave marks even though he knows he shouldn’t, so he summons every ounce of self-control he has to mouth at Harry’s cock for a moment. Harry’s hand flies to Niall’s hair and tugs, just a little, and Niall smiles because _wow_ he loves that.

He wants his mouth on Harry’s cock but his mind is still caught up on that _I want to leave marks_ thought so he leans in to suck an angry red mark into Harry’s hip-bone. Harry will have to be careful at their concert, make sure nobody notices as he’s jumping around on stage, but at least it’s not as obvious as one on the neck would be.

Harry’s moans are soft and hesitant, like he thinks maybe someone will come and interrupt them before he’s ready to leave. “I want to hear you,” Niall says, and before Harry can respond he’s moaning instead because Niall’s wrapping his lips around the tip of Harry’s cock.

Niall’s not sure why exactly he waited so long to do this but he wishes he wouldn’t have because he really likes it. He likes the weight on his tongue and the taste Harry’s cock leaves behind – he’s musky and warm and a little salty and Niall likes it more than he thought he would. He likes the sound each bob of his head draws out of Harry’s plump, parted lips, and he even likes the way Harry’s cock hits the back of his throat when he’s pulled further forward than he expects.

Harry’s into it, Niall can tell, and Niall just moans to tell Harry that he likes it too. The position feels vulnerable, the way he’s on his knees and at Harry’s whim, but he feels safe with Harry. He doesn’t mind choking on Harry just a bit, because Harry softly pets his hair from his sweat-slicked forehead so sweetly anytime he does.

Niall’s hard and one hand drops to touch himself, the other still stroking Harry to give him some sensation in the places his mouth can’t reach. Niall knows he’ll be able to take more with time – he _wants_ to take more – but until then his hand will have to do.

Harry’s shuddering and Niall lets him take control. He knows what they’re doing could be bad – if Niall’s voice is hoarse for the show they’re going to be in _big_ trouble – but he doesn’t care. His voice is a little raspy anyway and the fans won’t really notice if it’s a little worse than usual. He wants Harry deep in his throat and he’ll get as close to that as possible no matter what.

Niall’s hands are moving erratically and Harry is making shallow thrusts into Niall’s mouth. Niall hollows his cheeks and moans and that’s it for Harry. He comes down Niall’s throat and Niall isn’t exactly prepared for how much Harry releases in his mouth.

He swallows what he can and coughs a little from the surprise, and Harry looks down with wide, dark eyes and his hair a mess. “God you’re amazing,” he mutters, gently reaching out to help Niall stand up.

A twang of pain shoots down Niall’s leg and maybe he shouldn’t have knelt on his bad knee after all, especially on a hardwood floor, but that was so good it was incredibly worth it. He limps a step or two closer to Harry and their bodies press together.

“You didn’t come,” Harry observes, looking down.

His long, nimble fingers wrap gently around Niall’s cock and Niall’s breath hitches. “I… I was focusing on you,” Niall mutters.

Harry smiles and his lips meet Niall’s as he slowly starts to stroke Niall. He palms the tip of his cock and spreads the bit of pre-come to slick him up a bit, and his hand moves a little faster after that. Niall tries his best to kiss Harry in return but he’s so distracted and he really wants to moan so reluctantly he disconnects their mouths.

It doesn’t take long at all before Niall’s spilling into Harry’s hand, low moans falling from his kiss-bruised lips. He takes a moment to steady his breathing before he looks up at Harry and smiles. Harry kisses him and wipes his hand on the towel sitting on the counter. He holds it out for Niall to wash up, but Niall says he’s going to take a shower quick.

“But what about breakfast in bed?” Harry pouts.

“I’ll meet you in bed in five!” Niall laughs.

He limps to the bathroom and takes a quick shower, something he’s used to having to do while on the road. They don’t always get much time to themselves between shows, recording, interviews, and everything else that comes with this dream of theirs.

By the time Niall’s back in bed they’ve only got about twenty minutes to eat. He’s got to sneak away in a nondescript car and take a private jet down to Melbourne, whereas Liam will be meeting Harry at the airport just in time for them to make a very public appearance walking through security at the Brisbane airport. Louis will post a photo of himself and Niall, making it look as though Niall has been in Melbourne for days, even though he hasn’t.

Harry gives Niall one long kiss goodbye before Niall sneaks as quickly as he can from door to car. Harry sits in the window seat of the living room and watches the car wheel away. Harry wonders wistfully when they’ll actually be able to have another holiday like this. He wishes it could happen more often, or that they could just come out – any other situation would probably be more ideal.

But the fact of the matter is that he’s got Niall and that’s what matters most.

Niall’s halfway to Melbourne, alone on the tiny jet, when he feels something in his pocket. He pulls out a folded sheet of paper and slowly unfolds it.

The poetry is private and beautiful, something Niall couldn’t have written in a million years. The left side of the page is torn from where it was ripped out of a journal – Niall knows the exact one with the leather cover and cord binding it shut – and he smiles. Harry is talented beyond measure, that he knows. He also knows that even though he’s never thought he wanted poetry from a boyfriend or girlfriend, written for him and about him, he loves it. In fact, he thinks he’s been a bit silly, not wanting private gestures of love.

This poem, written in Harry’s messy scrawl but full of love (and a few scratched out lines where he made something even more beautiful), is something that nearly draws tears to Niall’s eyes, it’s so beautiful.

At the bottom, in little letters, he sees the words _happy valentines day, I love you_ and his heart races in his chest, threatening to beat right out of his rib cage.

Niall’s so far gone for this man.

He’s already got it planned out, what’s going to happen for Harry that night, and it’s all happening thanks to Louis.

In the middle of their concert, some poor unknowing soul will be paid hundreds of dollars to deliver a huge vase full of roses – one hundred red roses, actually – to Harry in the middle of the stage at the concert.

And when he does and his eyes get a little watery, Niall wishes he could walk right over and kiss him. The other lads do a good job of shielding their obvious fondness they share across the stage, but after the show there’s no interfering.

Harry rushes to Niall in a flurry of clumsy limbs and they’re against the wall making out before anyone can say another word about it.

They sneak off to Harry’s hotel room that night. Fans are in the hotel and they’ve called security but in the meantime they have to make it look less suspicious. Thankfully they’ve got adjoining suites so everyone can walk into Harry’s hotel room, leaving the fans to assume they’re all going to hang out together.

Liam, Louis, and Zayn sneak into their suite through a door in the wall between their rooms, and that leaves Harry and Niall alone again, _finally_.

“You’re such a romantic,” Niall laughs, pulling Harry forward into another kiss as he blushes and remembers the beautiful poem he’d been given.

“Roses on stage!?” Harry asks, laughing just as much.

Their lips bump in clumsy kisses and it’s more like talking very closely and less like kissing but they tease a few more times until they move on to much more serious business.

When they finish they lay together, sated and sweaty and completely naked. “Y’know, I think this has been the best Valentine’s day ever,” Harry admits softly.

“Really? I’d say it’s my second favorite,” Niall teases.

Harry tries to kick him but misses, and they play fight for a few minutes until Harry’s got his lips on Niall’s and they’re totally distracted.

“I love you,” Harry whispers when he’s successfully pinned Niall to the bed in a more than sufficient cuddle.

“I love you too,” Niall replies, connecting their lips once more.

Deep inside, they both know it’s not their last Valentine’s Day together, and that plus the memory of their holiday in Brisbane keeps them going even through the difficult moments of secrecy. They know they can do it, and that their love will last.

And if Harry’s poem is put into their next hit love ballad, well then… Niall just feels incredibly lucky.


End file.
